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Had a bad stuck episode/pb-ing on Saturday, followed by bad reflux at night, and every night since. I also have had trouble keeping down any solid or mushy foods. liquids go down, but I definitely feel resistance. Worried, I went to my doctors office today and the PA did an unfill, taking out 2 of my 5ccs. The last time I had a fill was in May, so I know I wasn't suddenly overfilled. She suggested that I irritated my pouch/esophagus and that the unfill, followed by two days of liquids only, then soft foods, and finally solids on Sunday. I am also getting an Upper GI swallow test done and coming back in 3 weeks. What's bothering me now is that although I'm feeling immediate relief from the difficulty swallowing I was experiencing before, I'm worried that this much of an unfill will lead to some weight gain over the next three weeks, and it's really causing me anxiety! Anyone have a similar experience? Any advice?

I don't drink carbonated drinks at all. Nor do I drink beverages that contain artificial sweeteners as they lead to weight gain (based on results from many scientific studies) and the chemicals have no nutritional value.

I found this article on another WLS site. It's old but makes sense: By: Cynthia Buffington, Ph.D Did you drink carbonated soft drinks prior to your Bariatric surgery? Do you still consume carbonated soft drinks? Were you advised by your surgeon or his/her nutritional staff NOT to drink carbonated drinks after surgery? Do you understand why drinking carbonated beverages, even if sugar-free, could jeopardize your weight loss success and, perhaps even your health? A carbonated beverage is an effervescent drink that releases carbon dioxide under conditions of normal atmospheric pressure. Carbonated drinks include most soft drinks, champagne, beer, and seltzer water. If you consume a soft drink or other carbonated beverage while eating, the carbonation forces food through he stomach pouch, reducing the time food remains in the pouch. The less time food remains in your stomach pouch, the less satiety (feelings of fullness) you experience, enabling you to eat more with increased risk for weight gain. The gas released from a carbonated beverage mat "stretch" your stomach pouch. Food forced through the pouch by the carbonation could also significantly enlarge the size of your stoma (the opening between the stomach pouch and intestines of patients who have had a gastric bypass or biliopancreatic diversion). An enlarged pouch or stoma would allow you to eat larger amounts of food at any one setting. In this way, consuming carbonated beverages, even if the drinks are diet or calorie free, may cause weight gain or interfere with maximal weight loss success. Soft drinks may also cause weight gain by reducing the absorption of dietary calcium. Dietary calcium helps to stimulate fat breakdown and reduce its uptake into adipose tissue. Epidemiological and clinical studies have found a close association between obesity and low dietary calcium intake. Recent studies have found that maintaining sufficient amounts of dietary calcium helps to induce weight loss or prevent weight gain following diet. The high caffeine in carbonated sodas is one way that drinking carbonated soft drinks may reduce the absorption of calcium into the body. Studies have found that caffeine increases urinary calcium content, meaning that high caffeine may interfere with the uptake of dietary calcium into the body. Keep in mind that one 12 oz. can of Mountain Dew has 50 mg of caffeine, and Pepsi and Coke (diet or those with sugar) contain 37 mg of caffeine each. Colas, such as Pepsi and Coke (diet or with sugar), may also cause calcium deficiencies from the high amounts of phosphoric acid that they contain. Phosphate binds to calcium and the bound calcium cannot be absorbed into the body. Both animal and human studies have found that phosphoric acid is associated with altered calcium homeostasis and low calcium. Drinking carbonated beverages may also reduce dietary calcium because these beverages replace milk and other nutrient-containing drinks or foods in the diet. Several studies report inverse (negative) relationships between carbonated beverage usage and the amount of milk (particularly children) consume. Carbonated beverages, then, may reduce dietary calcium because of their high caffeine or phosphoric acid content or because drinking such beverages tends to reduce the consumption of calcium-containing foods and beverages. Such deficiencies in dietary calcium intake may be even more pronounced in Bariatric surgical patients. Calcium deficiencies with Bariatric surgery have been reported following gastric restrictive and/or malabsorptive procedures. The reduced amounts of calcium with bariatric surgery may occur as a result of low nutrient intake, low levels of vitamin D, or, for patients who have had gastric bypass pr the biliopancreatic diversion (with or without the duodenal switch), from bypass of the portion of the gut where active absorption of calcium normally occurs. Drinking carbonated beverages may further increase the risk for dietary calcium deficiencies and, in this way, hinder maximal weight loss success. For all the reasons described above, including calcium deficits, reduced satiety, enlargement of pouch or stoma, drinking carbonated beverages, even those that are sugar-free, could lead to weight gain. Carbonated beverages that contain sugar, however, pose a substantially greater threat to the Bariatric patient in terms of weight loss and weight loss maintenance with surgery. Sugar-containing soft drinks have a relatively high glycemic index, meaning that blood sugar levels readily increase with their consumption. The rapid rise in blood sugar, in turn, increases the production of the hormone, insulin. , that acts to drive sugar into tissues where it is metabolized or processed for storage. High insulin levels, however, also contribute to fat accumulation, driving fat into the fat storage depots and inhibiting the breakdown of fat. Soft drinks with sugar are also high in calories. An average 12 oz. soft drink contains 10 teaspoons of refined sugar (40g). The typical 12-oz. can of soda contains 150 calories (Coke = 140 calories; Pepsi = 150; Dr. Pepper = 160; orange soda = 180; 7-up = 140; etc.). Soft drinks are the fifth largest source of calories for adults, accounting for 5.6% of all calories that Americans consume. Among adolescents, soft drinks provide 8%- to 9% of calories. An extra 150 calories per day from a soft drink over the course of a year, is equivalent to nearly 16 pounds and that weight gain multiplied by a few years could equate to “morbid obesity”. In addition to the adverse effects that carbonated drinks have on weight loss or weight loss maintenance, carbonated beverages may also have adverse effects on health. Soda beverages and other carbonated drinks are acidic with a pH of 3.0 or less. Drinking these acidic beverages on an empty stomach in the absence of food, as Bariatric patients are required to do, can upset the fragile acid-alkaline balance of the gastric pouch and intestines and increase the risk for ulcers or even the risk for gastrointestinal adenomas (cancer). Soft drink usage has also been found to be associated with various other health problems. These include an increased risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, bone fractures and reduced bone density, allergies, cancer, acid-peptic disease, dental carries, gingivitis, and more. Soft drinks may, in addition, increase the risk for oxidative stress. This condition is believed to contribute significantly to aging and to diseases associated with aging and obesity, i.e. diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, reduced immune function, hypertension, and more. From the above discussion, do you now have a little better understanding of why your Bariatric surgeon or Bariatric nutritionist advised you NOT to consume carbonated sodas after surgery? Your Bariatric surgeon and his/her staff want to see you achieve the best results possible from your surgery – both in terms of weight loss and health status – and so do YOU. Consider the consequences of drinking such beverages now that you understand more clearly why such drinks are “Bariatric taboo”.

five years out, My maintenance calorie range is 1200 to 1400 calories. I eat mainly clean/healthy. I indulge within reason. Calories/carbs look different when I’m distance running (1500 to 2000+ depending on the event) I keep my weight in the 130’s - When I have a slight weight gain, I go back to bariatric weight loss calories. (1000 to1100) to work it off.

Yes it was a relatively low weight to start with but I am an extremely petite individual, not just in height. My bone structure is small and both my primary doctor and the surgeon felt it was a good option for me. My thighs are the biggest part on me and it was getting hard just to walk and the pain in my legs was keeping me up at night. Not to mention a whole lot of other ailments that many people at much higher weights experience. The doctors and I all knew that I would never lose the weight on my own. I was gaining in excess of 10 lbs a year and had gained 50 pounds from 2015 until 2018. So I decided to try to mitigate the weight gain. I can't tolerate the protein shakes, they make me sick and then I get too full and can't get in any regular food which the doctor would prefer I eat.

I woke up this morning and still nothing. I think one of my biggest troubles is my darn time of the month, I always am heavier at this time. If the scale doesn't budge tomorrow then I think I'm going to try the Hollywood diet which is just a drink. I'm going to follow no carbs until then, keep drinking my 72 ozs. of Water, doing my walk and then I won't eat anything the morning of my weigh in. Luckily my appointment is at 10:00 am. I am having my surgery done at Highland Hospital here in Rochester, NY and because this is a Bariatric Center of Excellence they require all patients to take this nutritional counseling and you must not show a weight gain at all before surgery. I would just like to say thank you for taking the time to reply to me. I have used these boards throughout my entire process and they have been like my little banding bible. It's nice to get the positive with the negative so you are totally prepared. I am getting quite frustrated but I only have to pass this weigh in, on March 10th I have my sonogram, March 11th my psych consult and then within 2 weeks I meet with my surgeon, Dr. Thaddeus Trus and the hard part, waiting for approval from my insurance. I just hope it is all worth it. I am having a hard time not drinking with meals and giving up my beloved diet coke.

Okay so I received my surgery date today of January 17th. I know this year is almost over but I am more concerned about gaining weight. I placed myself on the cancellation list just in case someone changes their mind before the year is up. It's not like I am in a rush to go under the knife but I just really, really don't want to gain back the 38lbs that I have lost thus far. I know that I have made life style changes and I have to stick to them , but we all know the yo-yo of weight loss and weight gain. I was so hoping for something sooner just so I won't fail and gain weight and the doctor tells me that I haven't learned a thing since I gain all the weight back..... It's a bittersweet feeling right now So frustrated...

Im thinking of doing it because on top of the 75-80lb i also have pseudo tumor cerebri which is caused by weight gain, migraines, urinary incontinence, positional sleep apnea, joint and back pain, high cholesterol and pre diabetes so its so much more than the extra weight but i was just wondering about RNY since the friends that i know are bony skinny, thanks for your answer

Weight gain during surgery may be from the gas they introduced. @Little Kansas Kitty, I may be moving to Olathe soon for work. I’ll have to find a new facility for post op check-ins because I’m not flying to Cleveland for a 1 hr visit.

Thanks Ziahmama for your concern. I don't plan to exercise as hard as I was prior to the pregnancy but I do plan to keep walking a few miles a day. Hopefully that will delay any weight gain. The doctor said to try to gain a minimal amount of weight because I am still overweight and the baby will get what it needs. I am soooo tired right now. I had an ultrasound yesterday and I am 6 weeks and 2 days pregnant my baby is due Aug. 2nd, 2010. Good luck to all the pregnant ladies out there.:rolleyes2:

That was actually one of the things I talked about in my preop psych evaluation. Culturally, black men appreciate a more voluptuous frame. When I was young and thin, everybody in my family tried to fatten me up. What most consider fat, we consider "thick". So yes yes and yesssss. @@mschan218 get ready to lose it girl. I haven't lost it all but I'm only 4 months out too. I had a nice butt before weight gain but I don't think its going to hold up much longer. I had a 38/23/42 measurement in high school mid 20's it was more like 40/26/45. So always small waist bottom heavy. @@losergrl75 my hubby met me in high school I was about 125 with those measurements. When we married 5 years later I was 125. So he's used to a smaller me... however he's really grown fond of BBW. I mean really. Like TMI his porn of choice is BBW. I'm afraid although this man has loved me through it all that I will not be as attractive to him. I know that's just my personal issue but it lingers... You can make him appreciate the new you too girl. Just refocus his attention *wink* Sent from my SM-N920T using the BariatricPal App

This is a confession, I have been married for 43 years. I know my hubby's preference of his women's sizes. I also know he will love me at whatever size I am, he has been with me thru my ups and my downs LITERALLY!!! And when he said these things I know he thought they were a joke but...here is the way it made me feel. At first, I was checking into my Panni he said, You know I wouldn't care if you wanted BREAST AUGMENTATION!!! I said, Oh so my boobs aren't big enough now! Come to find out he was talking about a breast lift. OK Then he made fun of my saggy butt, along with teasing me about how my body looks now. He said you are nothing but bones now. So I CAN NOT get these things out of my head!! I don't like him to see my body because I feel like its not something he really likes. I know it may sound silly to you. I think I had more CONFIDENCE about my body before!! SAD BUT OH SO TRUE!! You all know that once something is said it is so hard to forget!! I know I'm overreacting because this is the man who has told me MANY MANY times that he never saw any of my weight gains. He was so sweet when he said, I never noticed any of your weight because I just saw you as the day I married you!! I just wish I could get over it!! My mind just keeps playing it over and over. If he didn't love and desire me he would NOT be here. RIGHT

I'm a sleeve to bypass revision and I've lost 40 pounds since my bypass surgery on 10/29/20 (17 weeks post-op). Since my surgery was for GERD and not officially bariatric, I didn't have as much to lose to get to my goal weight. But I want to lose a few pounds more just to give myself some "wiggle" room once I'm past the honeymoon period. I know that weight gain is possible, and very likely probable, after the 1st year. I wasn't really prepared for maintenance after my sleeve surgery in 2014 and gained almost 50 lbs. in the 6 years following surgery. I want to be better prepared to maintain a normal weight since I've been given a second chance to truly change my relationship with food!

A little straight talking: Loose skin versus your health & well being? Personally, I think it’s a simple decision. I have glaucoma & the medication gives me dark, purple shadows under my eyes which nothing will cover (spent a fortune on different concealers). I’m very fair & it’s very obvious. People think I’m sick. But my choice is dark, purple shadows or my sight. Sight wins every day. How much loose skin you will have depends upon many factors like your age, general skin elasticity, where you carry your weight, how long you’ve been at your weight, your history of weight gain & loss, & how much you lose. I don’t have a lot of loose skin - just sort of droopy, loose, crepey bits on my inner thighs, inner upper arms & on my belly. A good pinch but not a handful. It all hides well in my clothes. I wear fitted knit dresses without any type of shape wear & even wear tops with wide straps - I just don’t wave my arms in the air lol. I’m not someone who’d have my body on display anyway - no shorty shorts, bikinis, plunging or strapless tops for me at any weight. 😁 So the loose skin doesn’t really impact my clothing choices at all. I was almost 54 when I had my surgery so I had age against me in regards to my skin bouncing back. Honestly, when I hit my goal I had very little loose skin - was pretty cocky about it too. But the extra 11 kg loss gave me what I have now. I’ve decided I won’t have any surgery to remove the excess skin. I earned that skin & a part of me, for good or bad, thinks I deserve it too. It’s a good reminder of where I was & where I am now. But it is your decision. We all have things that are personally important to us (for me it is my hair). I hope I haven’t belittled yours.

I just wanted to note, for anyone that is stating that artificial sweeteners can cause weight gain and don’t drink diet because of them, I would absolutely not use this as a reason or to drink diet soda. There are artificial sweeteners in your protein shakes, protein bars, yoghurt, jello, pudding, Gatorade, mio/water flavorings, and many others items you consume. These are all foods and additions that are heavily relied upon on almost every single post op diet I’ve seen here.

I'm almost 15 weeks right now, and my doctor told me it's ok to continue my workouts (45 minutes, 4 or 5 times per week), but told me to keep my heart rate around 140 or less. I agree that sometimes i used to work out harder, but I still feel good about exercising at this rate. I usually do the elliptical, or walk and jog a bit on the treadmill. I do some weights, but the doc told me to go easy a bit with any of those that may pull or stress my tummy area. I'll be 2 years banded next month. I'm worried about gaining too much, so I'm trying hard to keep up the exercise. With my son, I gained a lot of weight (several years pre-band of course!). So, i'm hoping that w/the band and exercise, I can keep my weight gain at a reasonable, managable amount. . .

Well, if you go to OH which is a anti-lap band website you will hear nothing but negativity about the band. Anyone who post there nowadays are seeking revisions and are very bitter about their band experience. Also, you have to take into perspective the type of complications that occur with the band, most are simple things, like vomiting, reflux, heartburn, port leaks and tubing leaks, these are the majority of issues that occur with the band. Frequent reflux/vomiting is a symptom of lap band problems, such as slippage or dilation. Some people live with a slipped band for years, who don't have good aftercare, and end up needing emergency surgery to remove the band. Port and tubing leaks are not dangerous, but annoying and can get costly if someone is self pay and don't have money to fix or replace the band, this is why many people who are self pay should have a rainy day fund for any unforeseen lap band issues. However, these things can get severe if not treated promptly, like food obstruction can get life threatening and cause repeating vomiting and dehydration if someone does not seek medical attention by a lap band surgeon immediately. There are many people that do not have aftercare with their bands, many went to Mexico and don't have a surgeon to see them regularly in the US, some people have very poor aftercare with the surgeon that sees them in the US also, some lose their insurance, and no longer can afford the aftercare with their bands, so if you dig deep in how most people suffer complications, they are usually not really caused by the lap band. Also things like food obstruction which usually can be easily treated easily, can turn into a horrible complication if the patient does not see their lap band surgeon immediately to remove saline from the band. Also, everyone's body reacts differently with the band, some people have a weak or short esophagus and are not good candidates for the band, and they can't stand the pressure of a tight band and sometimes this will cause esophageal motility issues long term, but from all the studies I've read even people with a weak esophagus and motility issues return to normal after the band is removed. , Also I agree with the above poster Lellow, Australia have better lap band stats than the US because they have better aftercare surgeons, many surgeons in the US do not like offering aftercare and filling the lap band-- many surgeon view aftercare with the lap band to be annoying, many in the past have pushed them to Primary Care Physicians for fills, and other fill givers that do not fill the band properly, who know nothing about the band. Many of these surgeons were Bypass surgeons and only did the band as a "side project" because MOST people WANT the lap band and the bypass surgeons would do a bait and switch on patients, not fill the band properly and many people never get to the green zone, either too tight or not enough and patients would get so frustrated and remove the band, and the Bypass surgeon would gladly remove the band and revise them to the bypass, and that happens WAY too much in the US. I've had a lap band for almost 8 years and I would not change to any other procedure, I could have revised to the Bypass or Sleeve last year when I got my band replaced due to a hiatal hernia, but I see too many Bypassers and Sleevers struggling with weight gain long term, and dealing with other long term health issues such as reflux, Vitamin deficiency and hypoglycemia. I will risk lap band complications any day before I would risk Sleeve, or Bypass complications. Also check out the revision forum on OH, many people are desperate and seeking help from weight gain with the Sleeve and Bypass, many long term Bypassers are NOW seeking bands over their bypass, my surgeons also says many Sleevers are asking for bands too, but they can't because they don't have enough stomach left, but their small stomach has stretched too much to be effective without serious deiting, but some surgeons are putting some type of mesh bands over Sleeves, never let negative people fool you some have other motives for band bashing. Good luck.

Let me/us know what happens with the weight gain and surgery date. I am on the diet and am worried also,,,thx.

I guess I look at my overweight being that I was always more willing to take the easy route and that led me to more weight gain. Even at my thinnest, I was still looking for an easy way to cheat the system. My cheating and falling for the easy way led me to gaining even more weight over the years. I will be honest and tell you, I am also one who chose not to tell many people about my WLS. I chose only a few people I knew would hold me accountable as well as give me positive feedback on choices I make for my new life ahead of me. I have a very encouraging group of honest friends and family that I trust will not share my journey, as for the rest, I will not lie, I will tell them I have decided to make better food choices and exercise more! You are right! There are so many people that will snub their noses at you for the mere fact of thinking of having a WLS, but the way I look at it is "It's not taking the easy way out"! I once read a book with a terrific truth to those who say by having WLS you are just taking the easy route. NO, there is nothing easy about preperation for the surgery, having the surgery, nor life after the surgery. I can say there are times that because we eat less and have been encouraged to exercise more the weight will come off faster but there isn't anything easy about it. The book made a suggestive: When there is negative feedback, or derrogotory comments, remind those by asking; "Do you still go out back and beat your laundry with rocks to wash?" "Do you have still hand wash all your dishes?" "Do you still hang your clothes out to dry?" I am quite positive the answer to at least two of these questions is NO. Well, does that mean they took the easy route out? NO, they found a more efficeint way to wash clothes and dishes so they aren't slaves to chores, they found help. Well, we found a way to help us not be victim to food addiction with a little help! Honestly, I chose to weed out the negative people in my life. I do not like to be involved with people like that! I think they are just envious. What we choose to do with our bodies is our choice, nobody else matters!!! As far as me, I am in my three week stall and I dislike it! I thought I would shed the weight faster, and I did the first two weeks, and then there is this nice hill to climb, "Three Week Stall". I've read much about it and I will do all I can to stay motivated and positive about moving through and climbing up out of the valley! I want to be on the top of the mountain, not in the foothills!! =) Wishing you a fast next few months!! Keep in touch! Christie

Hi everyone, I am not yet banded but after thinking about it for the last year, I want to do it and I am working on insurance approval right now. I am doubtful that they will do it, so if I have to self pay I am sure that won't stop me. I have a 37 BMI with Acid Reflux, depression from the weight gain (I am sure that covers a lot of us and I was gestational insulin dependent diabetic when I was pregant (3yrs ago). I check my sugar and I have had numbers in the 200's-300s at time but it goes pretty low like 78 after eating too so my A1C is I belive .1 away from being considered Type 2 Diabetes but I am taking the Glucophage to keep it down currently. I have Priority Health and you have to have <35BMI and two comorbidities. I am not real hopeful that I will be approved, although my Dr. is.... Anyway I was wondering if anyone is in a similar situation and my biggest battle with keeping the weight off is hunger - the glucophage is helping with that - but I feel hungry all of the time and fighting with that is very hard. Do you feel the banding does a good job with reducing hunger after a while? I have a son turning 3 and a supportive and loving husband that I want to be able to keep up with. I find that my body image/self esteem keeps me from doing so many things that I did before. Well, I hope to learn a lot from everyone here. Thanks and I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend:laugh:

PAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whew... You are aliveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! :confused: Sorry about the DS... It's unfortunate that a man's "wand of procreation" isn't a better judge of character. *sigh* One day he will come to his senses... hang on till then! Sorry about the weight gain... we'll kick your butt and you'll be back on track by Monday. :party: Yup... gaining the amount I have back has been devastating... BUT... there's no use crying over spilt milk! :party: Well... My DD and I took the pups for a 45 minute brisk walk. THe walks are a part of Ava's behavior modification program and she is doing really well! I can walk her with her leash draped over my shoulders most of the time and I can stop and talk to people without her flipping out. :party: We can walk by most distractions without her even turning her head to look... she looks at me instead. :party:

talk to your endocrinologist and listen to your instincts. it sounds like you found the cause of weight gain and it is resolving. you can always do the surgery later if you stall out!

The same thing is happening with me I lost around 15 lbs from my six month med. Diet now people tell oh you dont need the surgery but but the same thing always happens lose a little weight gain alot more back

I was afraid of what would happen if I didn't get banded. At 43 years old I managed to avoid a lot of health conditions that run rampant in my family. My eating and weight gain was out of control and it was starting to affect my quality of life. My mobility was at stake and I was afraid of what my life would be like at 50.

I'll fess up...I enjoy a cocktail or two (sometimes up to 4) a couple of nights a week...whether mimosas at brunch or a trip to one of Denver's many breweries. I know I am going to have to give up bubbles...so no beer or bubbly which I am just fine with. I also am prepared to give up alcohol for several months prior to an after surgery. However, I just got off the phone with my sister who is coming up for a visit this summer and one of the things she and her husband are looking forward to are brewery tours and festivals that will, of course, involve alcohol. I know I will have to be careful about how much I drink as it will effect me quicker than before and with less (I'm thinking similar to moving to altitude). I also know that most drinks are empty calories that can and will lead to weight gain if you over indulge. My question for you wonderful post-oppers is how many of you gave up all alcohol for 18 months as many Surgeons recommend? And if you didn't what was the result? Am I going to be the designated DD for the next two years?